Connection shortcuts come to all Windows Phones [Homebrew]

By Daniel Rubino
last updated

Having quick access to connection settings is one of those top request by Windows Phone users--after all, if you toggle your WiFi or Bluetooth on or off frequently, doing the whole 'Settings' thing feels like a few too many steps.

We recently reported of some apps that will allow you to create shortcuts on your Samsung Windows Phone to speed up the process. Two issues though: non-Samsung phones were left out and the icons were generic.

Now, Schaps has created quick links to Connections, WiFi, Bluetooth, Location and Airplane mode, all with cool custom icons. More importantly, these seem to work on all Windows Phones (they were like a charm on our LG Quantum, see above). As a reminder, this is only for developer unlocked devices, since it has to be side loaded (and you'll want that program to break the 10-app limit too).

More info and downloads are here.

Daniel Rubino
Daniel Rubino
Editor-in-chief

Daniel Rubino is the Editor-in-chief of Windows Central, head reviewer, podcast co-host, and analyst. He has been covering Microsoft since 2007 when this site was called WMExperts (and later Windows Phone Central). His interests include Windows, laptops, next-gen computing, and for some reason, watches. Before all this tech stuff, he worked on a Ph.D. in linguistics, watched people sleep (for medical purposes!), and ran the projectors at movie theaters because it was fun.

7 Comments
  • What's up with all these homebrew apps? Why can't developers make nice apps that work for us that don't have the ability to side load?
  • i totally agree i see a headline about feautures for WP7 and go yayyyy and then read the article and it's for developer's.
  • Amen to that :) Actually, every app I'd like to use on my HD7 is brought only by Homebrew. Dissapointing and frustrating.On the other hand, who knows who's fault is that. I personally think there are many gifted app makers who unfortunately can't make cool apps thanks to rules given by Microsoft (see Skype, Unreal...).When Steve said that WP7 will be "Wonderfully yours" I kinda expected more. I really hate marketing :D
  • Has to do with access to certain features. A lot of these homebrew apps used non-approved methods to work e.g. reverse engineering an OEM app that does have access to a feature, then using that method in an app. If submitted to the Marketplace, they don't comply with 3rd party rules.Having said that, I'm not sure if these shortcuts violate Marketplace rules or not. I know it's sort of tortuous to watch these posts but I do them for a a few reasons (1) Show Microsoft what people want (they do read this site) (2) To get you folks borderline angry that you can't have them, demand that you can. It's only through these examples can we show what the homebrew community can do and what *we* want to do as consumers. So hopefully things will change for the better in 2011 for the regular consumers. These shortcuts are easy for Microsoft or OEMs to implement, so no reason why they can't.
  • Thanks for the explanation Mr. Rubino.. I can honestly say that what you've said makes a lot of sense. I guess I didn't (and still dont completely) understand all of the ins and outs of home-brew apps.
  • my word! This is on of my daily click trail, end of the day, phone goes off, WiFi goes on.. how nice would it be to have shotcut! Alhough, really, the AIRPLANE and LOCATION actions could realy just toggle on and off rather then droping to a submenu, couldn't they?
  • Shortcuts alone are not enough, as they require more clicks. A simple "connections toggle hub/tile" with on/off toggles for each connection setting is a MUCH better idea. Look to Android for inspiration, I say.